Family Christmas - Part 1

Between work and travel commitments we always have a lot of coordinating to do, but somehow we always seem to manage to celebrate Christmas with our families. This year all the gatherings are at our house, so we have quite a busy week. Tonight we celebrated with Jason's family.

The kids have been excited since they got up today and were even hamming it up before church.

Xander was really excited about his racetrack.

Nanny Mo got Jordis some duck slippers, but don't you dare ask her to pose in them.

MawMaw and PawPaw are glad THEY aren't the ones assembling all of these toys.

We attempted a family picture but after 5 tries we gave up. Jason wasn't much better than the kids. It took us 10 pictures to get something decent.

Monique's boyfriend helped Jordis name her new dog. Meet Dolce. Her carrying case matches Jordis' dress, so they're ready to hit the streets of Los Angeles to see and be seen.

Aaaah, Geo Trax. They had to be put up tonight. He doesn't know there are more on the way.

Zoo Lights

Last Sunday night we took our annual trip to see the Christmas lights at the zoo. We usually don't go this close to Christmas, but it's been so cold and we've all been sick since Thanksgiving. It was in the 50's last Sunday night so we figured it would probably be the warmest day to go, plus Jason was on his day off so we wouldn't have to rush out of there. Apparently everyone else had the same idea. Even though it was a Sunday and people had work and school the next day. And it was raining.

I've never seen the zoo parking lot so crowded. Ever. Seriously.

Of course Xander doesn't ever care about the lights, he's fixated on the animals, so he was ticked off as soon as we got there because it was too dark to see most of them. He wouldn't let us take his picture. But Jordis happily obliged.

We were going to go see the trains when we discovered that they had moved the train display. It used to be in one big room, all in one area, so you could get in line and walk by the whole thing. This year it's in a building half the size and split into sections. There was no room for wagons or strollers. Once you got up to a display you couldn't get out because of the people milling around. Can you say fire hazard? So we saw one or two sections before we couldn't take it anymore and tried to get out. Even that was an adventure and Jason almost had to get rude with these women who were standing in the exit chatting and drinking coffee.



After this incident, along with a few others on our walk to the petting zoo, I turned into my dad and came up with the following list:

Things-Not-To-Do-When-You-Go-To-The-Zoo-and-Can-Tell-Before-You-Get-Out-of-the-Car-That-It's-Extremely-Crowded
1. Don't let your 1-year-old who appears to have just learned how to walk try to do so. This is not the time or the place.
2. Don't let your pre-K'er, who isn't as tall as the stroller handle, push your toddler around the zoo, in the dark, in a stroller.
3. Don't walk 5 and 6 people across, so that you take up the whole path, and then stare at people coming the other way like they're in your way as they try to squeeze by you.
4. Don't walk in the middle if you are slow. I don't care what the reason is....you're browsing, old, handicapped, injured, whatever. It should be like the freeway....if you are slow, for ANY reason, whether out of your control or by choice, stay to the right.

Oddly enough (and I can't believe I'm going to admit to this - since I thought it was weird when my dad said it at the mall back when I was in high school), things would go much more smoothly if people treated public areas like the freeway, but on foot. Stay to the right if you're meandering, leave the left for those in a hurry or people needing to pass. Turn off when you get to where you need to go.

But alas, people don't think that way. We did eventually make it to the petting zoo after jumping out of the way of a few people and trying not to run over a few others (old, slow, in the middle).


Was too muddy to get to the reindeer and the kids were whining about this and that, so we left. It was an easy choice since we have a membership and can go back whenever we want. I think next time we'll go on the coldest day of the year if it means we can avoid the crazies.

Tag, I'm it!

Lisa says I should answer these questions, so why not?

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?I like both of these drinks, but egg nog does not like me, so hot chocolate is my choice most often. Especially with my mom's homemade mix. And her homemade marshmallows. Or marshmallow creme. Or store-bought marshmallows. I really like marshmallow.

Does Santa wrap presents or set them under the tree?Everything is always wrapped. I get my wrapping paper after Christmas for the following year. And since I was precocious as a child and had to know why Santa had the same paper as my parents, and how his handwriting on the tags was the same as my mom's, I had to be prepared. Now I try to make sure each of the kids' gifts from Santa is in specific paper. The paper always has Santas on it, and they each get a different style. That way we know who got what, and no handwriting is involved.

Colored Lights on tree or white?
I have white lights on two of my trees and colored on a 3rd.

When do you put your decorations up?
usually the weekend after Thanksgiving, but I got a little behind this year. Had trouble finding lights on a white cord to go on our new white tree.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
When I was a kid my mom used to make homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Now I look forward to the pee wees Jason's parents make. And I love my eggnog fruit salad.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
My aunt used to live on a farm in Radnor and we would go there on Christmas Eve. I loved her old house and spending time with everyone because that was the only time I usually got to see my cousins.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I still harrass my cousin Carol about this but she's the one that told me. I'm an only child so probably would have believed forever. I said something one Christmas about Santa and she said, "you don't really still believe in him, do you?" Of course I said that I didn't, but then I asked my mom. And once the truth set in I realized that the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy were probably not real either. I was really sad.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No, but my mom used to let me when I lived at home.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Used to be that all the ornaments went on one tree. This year I got a white tree that I'm going to go out and buy ornaments for after Christmas so I can get the fancy ones at a good price. Then I took all of my regular ornamnets and put the ones that were the most red and green on the white tree. I let the kids use the rest to put on a tree for them in the toy room. I put all of Jason's police ornaments on our 3 foot tree and then our tabletop tree has all of our travel ornaments on it. We try to get an ornament every time we go out of town.

Can you ice skate?
Yes, I LOVE ice skating. I actually took lessons. I haven't been since I had kids though so not sure how I'd be now.

Do you remember your favorite gift?
I've had lots of favorites.

What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
being with family and teaching my kids what it's all about

What is your favorite holiday dessert?
I like all kinds. I love to just sit in front of a tray of Christmas cookies. I also like pie. My grandma used to make homemade coconut cream and chocolate cream pies so I like to try to make a homemade coconut cream pie every year.

What is your favorite tradition?
We don't really have any per se. With having 3 sets of families and working around everyone's work schedules we don't always do the same thing every year.

Do you prefer giving or receiving?
I love to give presents. I'd give more if I had more money.

What is your favorite Christmas song?
I like a bunch and most of them aren't secular. Some of my favorites are Happy Christmas by John Lennon, 2000 Miles by the Pretenders, Someday at Christmas by Stevie Wonder and Baby It's Cold Outside by Dean Martin

Candy canes Yum or Yuck?
I like the little ones. A little goes a long way.

Ever recycled a Christmas present?I don't think so.

Buster loves Mellie

Buster is our dog (MY dog when he's in trouble) and Mellie is my friend. Just so everyone knows.

I used to work with Mellie at WCOL and she's a friend like no other. She can be both small town Kentucky and sophisticated business woman all in the same day. She is a ton of fun, fiercely loyal, and incredibly thoughtful. Now that she lives over an hour away we don't see each other like we used to, but she always makes sure to keep in touch with cards for every occasion and random gifts for no reason.

Mel's a big animal advocate and understands that Buster just isn't getting the attention he did before the kids came along. He used to be the dog I took on car rides just because I knew he liked it. He had a sweater. I dressed him up for Christmas. He ate his fair share of lettuce (he LOVES lettuce). Now he's getting old and a little lonely.

But Mellie remembers him at Christmas and yesterday he got a package in the mail. Mind you, it was wrapped prettier than most Christmas gifts I've seen given to humans. It even included a card with pictures of all of Buster's doggie friends visiting Santa. Upon closer inspection I realized that Mellie was even the Santa. I'm telling you, she goes all out.

The kids got a huge kick out of this and wanted to help open the present. Once it was open Buster was really interested. It was a box of homemade dog treats, cut out into Christmas shapes. I let the kids give him one even though they wanted to give him the whole box.

So on behalf of Buster, thanks Mel for thinking of him as only you can. He totally feels the love.

Picture Perfect

So I was seriously sweating the arrival of Xander's school pictures. I had to go to school the day they were taken because the order form never made it home. They apparently sent them home the week we were in Florida, but didn't save one for Xander. I found out the DAY before pictures were to be taken, leaving me one option: go to school the same day pictures were to be taken.

Xander warned me ahead of time that he wasn't going to say cheese. Not doing it. Never ever. Yadda, yadda. I ran down to the gym to drop off my form and Xander's class was on the way in for pictures. He was so excited to see me and was willing to cooperate, so they let him go first. He had a great little smile going when the lady decided to adjust his head, and then it was all over. He was done. Over it. Refused to smile. Finally they let someone else go and he ran away. I tried to go talk to him but thought I might be making it worse, so I left and told him I'd be super proud of him if he changed his mind when it was his turn again.

He came home that day with a sticker and said it was because he said cheese. I wanted to believe him, but was curious as to whose opinion it was that he actually smiled for the camera. Then today, he came home with this:









I'm so excited I can't stand it! I might have to get a new picture frame to celebrate.

Christmas Carnival

Today was the annual Christmas Carnival at Xander's school. He was so excited to go. I was excited about the free coffee and Tim Horton's donuts because I didn't get a chance to eat before we left the house.

Cookie decorating had to be first.

Carnival games....


Face painting...




And Jordis' visit with Santa. She told me she wasn't going to pose for a picture, but I thought this would actually be funny when she's older so I had them take it anyway.

I also gave the kids money and BaDee took them to the Secret Santa shop to help them spend it to buy a gift for Jason and myself. I used to get my mom the most horrible things at my elementary school's Secret Santa, so I can't wait to see what she helped them buy.

Florida - last day

Our last day in Florida was the only chance we had to get to the pool. I love going to the pool in Florida in November because I always seem to get a great tan, quickly, with no burning. We were out there only 3 hours wearing SPF 45 (not Jason, of course) and had a really decent tan. Jordis still has strap marks from her bathing suit. They formed an "X" which Xander thought was awesome. Had I known how much fun we were going to have I might have tried to fit in a pool visit early in the week before it got cold on us.

My bathing beauty!


We spent a LONG time in the lazy river.




Xander even got adventurous and went by himself.


He even asked Jason to help him swim.



Jordis loved the little kids pool area. She even made a little friend who was younger than her and practically swimming already. The benefits of living in Florida and having a mom who used to be a lifeguard I guess. I liked the little kids pool area because it was gated.



Erma's sister and brother-in-law drove a few hours to visit us from their permanent Florida home. We went back to Downtown Disney and attempted to have dinner together at the Rainforest Cafe.





Jordis wanted only Uncle "Twoy" to hold her up to see the birds.


Shortly after this picture was taken....

...Jason and I took the kids and high-tailed it out of there. We were having a lack of cooperation and didn't want to spend that much money to eat only to not enjoy it. So, we walked all the way to the other end of the complex where at that point we all had calm bodies and could try another restaurant. Being the perfect parents that we are (ha,ha) we let the kids eat sweet potato fries and corn bread at the House of Blues. It was our last night there and we wanted to enjoy ourselves. That ended up being a quick meal as well but we got to eat all of our food, so that was good enough for us.

A little more shopping for last minute souvenirs and it was time to go back for bed.


Had Jordis been a better traveler the ride home would have been pretty good. She whines and cries the whole time which makes overnight traveling still the best option for us. But what a beautiful trip it was. In Tennessee the leaves were just gorgeous. We weren't quite at the Great Smoky Mountains but close enough that it was stunning. I've never seen such magnificent foliage. I tried to take pictures in the car but they don't do justice to the beauty of it.


We could barely get Xander to have his picture taken the whole week but when we stopped for lunch at Subway he requested to pose for this picture.

Jordis finally took a nap when we got to Columbus.


I think traveling with kids is like having a baby. The whole time you're doing it you swear it will be a while, if ever, before it happens again. But soon after you forget about how bad it really was. I'm already working on Jason for 2009. For a trip, not a baby.

Thanks Dad and Erma for taking us on vacation. We had a great time!